Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu
Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu (also written as simply Strange Déjà Vu) is the third track from Dream Theater's fifth studio album, Scenes from a Memory. It continues immediately after the previous track, Overture 1928, which serves as a play on words, as the same riff is used in two songs which could provoke a sense of déjà vu in the listener. Personnel *Mike Portnoy - Drums, percussion, backing vocals *John Petrucci - Guitar, backing vocals *John Myung - Bass *Jordan Rudess - Keyboard *James LaBrie - Vocals Lyrics Nicholas: Subconscious strange sensation Unconscious relaxation What a pleasant nightmare And I can't wait to get there again Every time I close my eyes There's another vivid surprise Another whole life's waiting Chapters unfinished, fading Closer now Slowly coming into view I've arrived Blinding sunshine beaming through There's a house I'm drawn to Familiar settings nothing new And there's a pathway leading there With a haunting chill in the air There's a room at the top of the stairs Every night I'm drawn up there There's a girl in the mirror Her face is getting clearer Young child, won't you tell me Why I'm here? In her eyes I sense a story never told Behind the disguise There's something tearing at her soul Victoria: Tonight I've been searching for it, A feeling that's deep inside me Tonight I've been searching for The one that nobody knows, Trying to break free I just can't help myself I'm feeling like I'm going out of my head Tears my heart into two I'm not the one the Sleeper thought he knew Nicholas: Back on my feet again Eyes open to the real world Metropolis surrounds me The mirror's shattered the girl Why is this outside life Haunting me every day I'd break through to the other side If only I'd find the way Something's awfully familiar The feeling's so hard to shake Could I have lived in that other world It's a link that I'm destined to make Still searching but I don't know what for The missing key to unlock my mind's door Today I am searching for it A feeling that won't go away Today I am searching for The one that I only know Trying to break free I just can't help myself I'm feeling like I'm going out of my head Tears my soul into two I'm not the one I thought I always knew I just can't help myself I'm feeling like I'm going out of my head Uncanny, strange Deja vu But I don't mind I hope to find the truth Analysis This scene takes place in the present day, and follows Nicholas in his trance. While basking in the accompanying feeling of well-being, we hear about the previous dreams he'd had about another life, just out of reach. These dreams, which have led to his regression therapy, involve a pathway leading to a house, and a girl in a mirror at the top of the stairs. She asks him, "Young child, won't you tell me why I'm here", as presumably she has been leading him to these dreams every night to tell him a story about something terrible, something that's "tearing at her soul". Victoria then speaks about how she's been trying to find someone to tell her story to, and how it "tears her heart into two", which references how she's torn between two lovers, which is unknown to Nicholas at this point. He then awakens in the present, and everything that he sees reminds him of the other life, and it all seems "awfully familiar". He begins to see that there is a deep connection between Victoria, himself and the other life, and he makes it his mission to found out what it is. He then echoes the chorus sung by Victoria, highlighting the connection between them, except he talks about how he has to "find the truth". Tone This song draws on more of the heavy tone than the previous track, however it's still sufficiently progressive. The chorus sections are quite poppy and melodic. Notes *Strange Déjà Vu is the second part of Scene Two, continues from the first part, Overture 1928. *The chorus is later used in One Last Time. The piano section at the end of the song transitions into the next scene, Through My Words. *This track marks the first appearance of the character, "Victoria". Appearances *Scenes From a Memory - Original recorded version *Live Scenes from New York - Live version *Metropolis 2000 - Live DVD version *The Making of Scenes from a Memory - Demo version Category:Songs Category:Scenes From A Memory Era